'You're awfully cheerful today.'
The whole morning, Kasumi was unlike herself.
Usually, she did her schoolwork with the emotional intensity of a rock; however, today, she had a gentle smile and occasionally bobbed her head left and right.
'Hmm?' She faced me.
'You look cute when you smile like that,' I said. 'You should smile more often.'
Kasumi froze.
Her pen stopped moving.
Her brain clearly stopped working too.
'Th-thank you…'
Her face slowly turned red as she returned to doing her work.
Every now and then she would glance over at me.
Then quickly look away.
Then glance again.
Then look away again.
Eventually, I sighed.
'Do you need to say something?'
'Umm…I-I-I…'
Her fingers started tying themselves into knots.
'Ca-can I call you by your first name?'
'Oh, sure.' I shrugged. 'I'm not used to the whole name-respect system here, anyway.'
'Th-thank you… Di-ran.'
Her face turned bright red and she immediately buried herself in her work.
Geez.
Kids these days.
Just a name and they act like they just confessed to a crime.
If someone called me cute, I'd assume they were trying to scam me.
————————————
Another school day passed and thankfully tomorrow was the weekend.
I nearly cried from happiness.
As I packed my bag, Kasumi came over.
'Umm… Di-ran.'
'Yes?'
'Wo-would you happen to be free tomorrow?'
'Yeah, I'm free most of the time.'
'Th-then… Can we hang out?'
'Sure.'
Her eyes widened.
Then she smiled so brightly it felt like the sun had just came out.
'I got club now! Bye bye Di-ran!'
She waved rapidly and ran away.
'See you later.'
—————————————-
As I walked toward the school gate, I spotted three familiar faces.
The same girls who had surrounded Kasumi a few days ago.
They were chatting with a group of delinquents outside the gate.
I walked over.
'Hey. I need to talk to you.'
They turned around.
Then immediately turned pale.
'Wh-what?' The leader asked.
'I just want to ask about the brown-haired girl you bullied before I stopped you.'
'O-okay…'
Before she could continue…
'Oi! Who the hell are you?' One of the delinquent guys asked.
'Pl-please don't say anything!' The girl tried to stop him.
Unfortunately, the guy clearly had the intelligence of a brick.
'Why are you defending this shrimp?'
He groped her butt.
Bold move.
Also a very stupid move.
'You don't need to be scared of him,' he said proudly. 'You've got me.'
Young people these days are impressively… stupid.
Also…
Did he just call me a shrimp?
'What are you looking at? He grinned. 'Jealous?'
'Yes.' I said flatly.
'I'm jealous of your incredible ability to fail at life.'
'And I'm extremely jealous of that… hairstyle.'
'You piece of shit!'
He raised his fist…
'STOP YOU, BASTARD!'
Everyone turned.
A fat man had just jumped out of a car and was sprinting toward us.
Hey, it's Mr Pork Chop.
The former loan shark Hina borrowed from.
After hypnotising him, I encouraged him to pursue a more fulfilling life.
'Bo-boss?!' The delinquent gasped.
'I'm here to meet my friend.' Mr Pork Chop said.
Then he pointed at me.
'What were you planning to do to him?'
'I-I was disciplining him for harassing us!'
*SMACK*
The boss punched him directly in the stomach.
The delinquent folded like a broken chair.
'DISCIPLINE WHO?!'
'That's my friend, you idiot!'
'Fr-friend?!'
The delinquent looked at me like I was a nuclear weapon.
'Apologise,' the boss growled, 'before I rip your mouth off.'
The delinquent instantly kowtowed.
'I'M SORRY FOR NOT RECOGNISING YOUR GREATNESS PLEASE FORGIVE…'
'Alright, that's enough.' I said. 'I forgive you.'
'THANK YOU!'
'Now scram!' The boss shouted.
So this is what it feels like to be a Chinese young master.
The delinquents ran like Pokémon booster packs were back in stock.
I pointed at the girl.
'She stays.'
Her soul visibly left her body.
—————————————
'Wait here.' I told her.
Then I turned to Mr Pork Chop.
'Did you bring the files?'
'Yes, darling.' He winked.
Kill me.
Preferably quickly.
Fortunately, he said it quietly.
Hopefully, no rumours start about me dating a middle-aged fat man.
I skimmed the files.
Assets.
Businesses.
Income sources.
Perfect.
These groups could be merged with the Freedom Fighters.
Expansion would be easier.
Management too.
'In two days,' I said, 'we'll meet at your place to discuss future plans.'
'I'll also bring someone important.'
'Okay, darling.'
Please stop saying that.
He blew me a kiss and left.
I felt ten years older.
———————————
I returned to the trembling girl.
"Now," I said, "tell me about Sato Kasumi."
And she did.
Everything.
Her bullying.
Her family.
Her adoption.
Her strict parents.
Cold treatment.
Using her like a tool.
When she finished, I nodded.
"You can go."
She bowed repeatedly and ran away like she had escaped prison.
I stood there thinking.
"Kasumi isn't just a girl being bullied…"
"She's carrying a lot more than that."
———————————-
Later that evening I returned to the school gate.
Waiting.
Students poured out.
Then I saw her.
Kasumi walked out slowly.
Head down.
Hands gripping her bag strap.
She looked like a sad puppy.
I walked up and lightly tugged her bag.
"What happened?"
She turned around.
Then…
Sunrise.
Her entire expression lit up.
"Di-ran!"
"I thought you went home!"
"Couldn't."
"You never told me where to meet tomorrow."
"And we don't even have each other's phone numbers."
"Ah."
She nodded.
"I just realised that too…"
"Is that why you looked sad?"
She blushed and nodded.
"It was my first time inviting a friend out…"
"I thought I ruined it."
We exchanged numbers.
Then I noticed something.
Marie had sent me twenty-seven messages.
How did I not notice?
I'd check later.
More important matters first.
Kasumi stared at her phone.
Then giggled quietly.
"My first friend…"
I sent her a message.
*Ding*
She checked it.
"Testing?" she read.
"Just checking it works."
She typed something.
My phone showed a red notification.
[Kasumi: It is working.]
"Good."
"Now we can contact each other."
She nodded happily.
"Do you want to plan tomorrow?" I asked.
"Yo-you can plan… I don't have experience."
"Alright."
We waved goodbye.
——————————
As I walked home, I fixed my phone settings.
Turns out the messenger notifications were turned off.
I turned them back on.
Immediately…
*Ding*
A new message.
From Kasumi.
[Kasumi: See you tomorrow ( ◕‿◕✿) ]
The corner of my mouth lifted.
[Dylan: See you tomorrow.]